The present invention relates to a control system and a method for milking members in a milking parlour comprising a plurality of milking stalls, wherein each milking stall comprises a milking member to be attached to an animal in the milking stall, a storage device arranged to hold the milking member in a storage position when it is not in use, and a cleaning unit arranged to clean the milking member, wherein the control system comprises a local control unit in each milking stall arranged to automatically prepare the milking member for a milking operation by setting a vacuum valve, which controls application of vacuum pressure to the milking member, in an open position when the milking member is moved from the storage position.
In order to simplify the milking routines, it is known to use a local control unit in each milking stall which automatically senses when the milking member is moved from a storage position by an operator. The local control unit may, for example, comprise a sensor detecting when an operator lifts up the milking member from the storage position. When this happens, the local control unit opens a vacuum valve such that vacuum pressure is applied to the milking member. The milking member is now ready to be attached to the teats of a milking animal. Thanks to the use of the local control unit, the operator does not need to push on a button or the like in each milking stall for applying vacuum pressure to the milking member before it is attached to a milking animal.
When a milking operation is finished, a removing device detaches the milking member from the milking animal and moves it back to the storage position in the milking stall. The removing device may be automatically activated when the milk flow drops below a predetermined minimum. The local control unit closes the vacuum valve, and thereby the application of the vacuum pressure to the milking member, when the milking member is removed to the storage position.
Such local control units in the milking stalls simplifies the routines for operators during a start up phase of a milking operation. However, the routines for operators during a start up phase of a cleaning operation of the milking system are not simplified. Before each milking member is moved from the storage position and put on the cleaning unit, the operators have to push a button or the like in each milking stall in order to set the milking stall in a cleaning mode, for preventing the local control unit from applying vacuum pressure to the milking member when it is moved from the storage position.